10 Other Sources for Information

http://www.americansc.org.uk/Online/American_Dream.htm
Most people in America still strive for the American dream of financial independence, yet people are willing to throw away the ethics in the modern era for the quick way to financial independence.
The American Dream." Arnet - Home Page of the American Studies Centre at Liverpool JMU. Web. 07 Dec. 2009. .

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/04/american-dream200904
Rethinking American dream
"Rethinking the American Dream | vanityfair.com." Vanity Fair | vanityfair.com. Vanity Fair, Apr. 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .
The American Dream is should be both about economic independence, but there should be a limit to how much people have to work and go into debt to achieve this dream.

http://www.economicmobility.org/assets/pdfs/EMP_American_Dream.pdf
Econmic Mobility is decreasing in the United States and therefore making it harder for people to achieve higher income in the United States therefore making the rich richer.
Sawhill, Isabel V., and John E. Morton. Is the American Dream Alive and Well. Publication. Pew Charitalbe Trusts. Print.

http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/July/200707261445221CJsamohT0.1857721.html
Immigrants are assimilating into the U.S. well and their opportunity to move up the economic ladder is still strong.
"American Dream Still Alive and Well for Immigrants, Report Says." America - Engaging the World - America.gov. U.S. Government, 26 July 2007. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .

http://money.cnn.com/2004/12/22/news/economy/poverty_overview/index.htm
Poverty in America is increasing as the poor get poor and the rich get richer due to inadequate government programs
"The changing face of poverty: an overview - Dec. 30, 2004." Business, financial, personal finance news - CNNMoney.com. 30 Dec. 2004. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/bg1713.cfm
What is classified as being in poverty in America is a greater standard of living than what most people consider poverty, therefore less people live in poverty than that is stated.
Rector, Robert E. "Understanding Poverty in America." The Heritage Foundation - Conservative Policy Research and Analysis. Heritage Foundation, 5 Jan. 2004. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07344.pdf
Poverty in America is an increasing problem and is undercutting the well being of the nation as many poor people have less access to health care and other services.
United States Government Accountability Office. Poverty in America. GAO, 2007. Web.
http://www.npr.org/programs/specials/poll/poverty/
People in America believe that the government standard of what is considered being poor is not high enough and Americans cannot agree on the cause of poverty.
"Poverty Poll." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Web. 08 Dec. 2009. .
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=2&hid=113&sid=22e87ca9-53cb-422c-bcbe-f536216fcc94%40sessionmgr113
Ending Poverty in America must be taken from many different angles. Even though poverty has decreased since the 1960’s income inequality has increased since the 60’s therefore governments need to take action is needed.
http://metalib.wisconsin.edu/V/M39GX1DM4P6QYTY84NJ7TEGRXTTU2XX7CYV3D3P1NFCKIVKQHS-09920?func=meta-3&short-format=002&set_number=017589&set_entry=000012&format=999
The best way to get out of poverty is not only through religious organizations and better education.
Thomas, Oliver. "A path out of poverty." Academic Search Complete. 3 Mar. 2008. Web. 7 Dec. 2009. .

Journal # 4

Chapter 13 starts out with Adam getting a new roommate. His new roommate goes by the nickname of BG. We all found it surprising on how conceited BG was; it was either his way or no way. BG was lazy and stubborn which later causes issues with Adam. Adam tries to remain calm and he for the most part gets along with BG. Adam calls it a love-hate relationship with BG, and states that they were too alike, both stubborn and contentious. Over time BG and Adam fight, but Adam states that they joke around and pick fun of each other instead of actually getting angry with one another.

Adam’s tone in this section seems frustrated. Every other paragraph Adam is talking about one of BG’s little quirks that annoy Adam. From not cleaning the house, to being lazy at home, Adam seems to dislike many habits that his new roommate possesses throughout these chapters. It comes to a point where Adam and BG bump heads too often and Adam asks for BG to be moved to another crew at Fast Company, so that Adam would not need to deal with BG for 24 hours a day.

Then BG got into the habit of ‘borrowing’ Adam’s truck on a regular basis. For an example, BG asked Adam if he could borrow his truck to run up to the gas station, which Adam did not have a problem with, as long as he grabbed Adam a mountain Dew. This quick run to the gas station turned into five hours on more than one occasion which really got on Adam’s nerves. Adam was usually pretty calm and didn’t say much to BG about these incidents, and they actually were starting to become better friends. BG would share with Adam about his time in jail and Adam loved listening to these stories that BG told.

BG and Adam at the start of chapter 15 start to not get along at all. They didn’t joke around anymore; they were verbally fighting, instead of just wisecracking each other. Then BG would simply take Adam’s truck, instead of asking, and on top of that he would be gone for hours at a time. Adam decides that he needs to teach BG a lesson. We found this next part to be the most interesting to us, because it was something creative and not like Adam. Adam knew that BG went down a dance club that is called LD’s. Adam decided that BG needed a lesson, so he went down to LD’s and hid the truck. Later that night, BG rolled into the apartment, telling Adam that someone stole his truck. Little did BG know that the truck was just around the corner, and he searched all night, until Adam broke the news to BG that his truck was around the corner.
BG and Adam still had problems in the future, as BG still took his truck whenever he pleased. Adam soon let his frustration out, and they got into a fist fight. Adam explains to us that he is a terrible fighter and got beat up pretty hard. In the end though, this fight brings BG and Adam closer. Adam then sums up his last chapter with how he breaks the news to Derrick and BG about the project that he had been pursuing the past year. Adam then moves back to Raleigh because of his parent’s health, and he needed to support his family.

In Adam’s final chapter, he states many opinions that come out of the blue. We all thought that this was not the right way to end his book. He had no supporting evidence and it was all about how he wanted to fix America to make it better. Overall we all thought that the book was entertaining, but that last chapter really ruined the book. He did not need to share with us his opinions on how our country is flawed and needs to be changed.

Summarizer with a twist for end of the book (Charlie Warnes)

In the last two chapters of the book everything Adam thought wouldn’t ever happen, happened. His mom was diagnosed with cancer for second time and his relationship with BG was really put to the test. BG and Adam get in a huge fight and with no excuses in his defense Adam gets the crap kicked out of him. Adam is a horrible fighter but that didn’t register in his mind before the fight and even after it because he went back for seconds. After the fighting escapade the two become like best friends and finally learn to treat and give respect to one another. What is even more important than the odd connection between BG and Adam is that Adam’s stay at Charleston is suddenly interrupted when he is forced to move back home and support is fragile mother in her battle against cancer. Everything he worked for and built up in Charleston would be left behind only for him to start anew in Raleigh. Adam ends up living with his brother and working two jobs for a while; life gets tough for him back at home. But all in all Adam can look back on his project and say it was a success.
The last section of the book is written with a sense of fulfillment. Everything seems to come together and everything seems to work out in the end. Adam’s perception of the homeless and on budgeting your money will be forever changed due to this project, and for the better. The writing of the last section in the book seemed to be more intellectual than the rest… it seemed like Adam wasn’t afraid of letting the reader know that he indeed went to college. As he reached the end of his journey, Adam was less and less afraid to tell people the truth for once and he learned to always give a helping hand. The book ended with a sense of enlightenment and I am glad it did.

Discussion Leader 15 & 16 (Logan)

Why did Adam make such a big deal about BG taking his car all of the time?

- Adam got very sick of BG always lying about where he was going and how long that he was going to be gone. Adam decided that he needed to teach BG a lesson, but the first lesson still did not make a difference. Adam then blew up at BG and got into a fight with him, which turned out ugly for Adam.

Why do you think that Adam doesn't mention hsi parent's health issues until the last chapter?

-He either didnt feel like it was the right time, or had planned to write about it in his last chapter. I found it interesting that he did not ever mention it, because he seemed throughout the book to be close to his family. in thre early chapters, he even states that his parents were very worried about him, rather than he being worried about them.

Do you think that Adam wrote this book to prove a point?

-It would seem as if he is trying to pursuade his audience in the last chapter. It was filled with opinions on what needs to be done in this country. So, yes it did seem like he was trying to prove a point that the American Dream is still alive, but also that things need to be changed in this country economically speaking.

Why do you think that Adam left out a lot of interesting stories? For example when the guy outside of the shelter got stabbed.

-Adam even states that he could have written another hundred pages, but his moral was to tell us his story, not to entertain us with other side story's. His point was to inform us on the poverty in America and that the American dream is still alive yet today.

Graphic Organizer Chapters 15 & 16 (Cody Sanoy)

At the end of the book Adam's goals have been fulfilled. He ended up making around $5000, owning a working car, and living in a furnished home. He also accomplished this in less time than was allotted, which is impressive. He showed that with a good plan, hard work, perseverance, and optimism you can find success and meet your goals.

Vocab 15-End Stephen Fisher

197-Tolerance: Acceptance of the differing views of other people and fairness towards these views.
198-Psychopath: Personality Disorder marked by aggressive, violent, antisocial thought and behavior and a lack of remorse or empathy.
201-Indolent: lazy and not showing interest in any effort
201-Lethargic: physically slow and mentally dull as a result of tiredness or disease.
207-Aura: characteristic or distinctive impression created by somebody or something
207-Belated: occurring after the appropriate or expected time
208-Cronies: a close friend, especially one of long standing
212-Adversity: hardship and suffering
214-Solace: comfort at a time of sadness, grief, or disappointment
217-Subsequently: happening at a later time and often as a consequence.

Vocabulary chapters 13 & 14 (Cody Sanoy)

Expedite pg 171-To speed up the progress of
Cliche pg 173-A overused phrase that has become stereotyped and has lost it's orginality and meaning
Turmoil pg 174-A state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance
Rigorous pg 176-Uncomfortably severe or harsh
Donning pg 176-Putting on or dressing in
Confounded pg 176-Perplexed or amazed especially by a sudden disturbance or surprise
Naive pg 177-showing a lack of experience, judgment, or information
Entourage pg 181-A group of people, commonly attendants or associates
Subconsciously pg 186- Existing or operating in the mind beneath or beyond consciousness
Dissension pg 188-Strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel

Graphic Organizer for Chapters 13 and 14 (Charlie Warnes)

Adam and “Bubble Gum” or more commonly referred to as BG have a love-hate relationship. It worked out perfectly that they both needed a roommate at the same time and were each looking at the same place but at the same time their personalities are too much alike. They both are extremely stubborn which leads to constant argument but luckily nothing ever gets too serious because they deal with each other for a long time (I think like 3 months or more). Whenever Adam buys food or anything BG always wants to borrow some of it but never really gives anything back to Adam except for when something needs to be fixed BG can fix anything. They both pay their rent but when it comes to little things like milk or cheese BG just “borrows” Adams… this is something that really angers Adam but for some reason he just puts up with it. BG and Adam balance each other out but sometimes the teeter-totter leans a little more one way that the other.

Questions Chapters 13 and 14 (Stephen Fisher)

When Adam side tracks from the story to mention circumstances in his past life such as, “She was just like my mom, she couldn’t throw anything away,” does this side track from the story and unnecessary, or help his story be more relatable to the readers?

One of the reasons Adam has more money than his roommate is because he doesn’t spend any money on alcohol and tobacco. So why do many people who are poor spend money on these unnecessary items.

What must this experience been like for Adams family? He goes back home for Christmas but he doesn’t mention any of their feelings. Why?

Adam mentions it takes him a long time before he realizes there is a free clinic for sick people. One could infer that Adam is not the first person to no know about some of the options available to those who are sick and poor. What kinds of consequences could this create in real life?

Answers:1) We found personally find the side stories distracting from the story. Not because their not important but, he never introduced his parents that much, so when he mentions them it seems awkward.
2)We thought think many people spend money on unnecessary items because of their social influences.
3)We think it would have been important for Adam to mention more about his family, so it helps the reader develop a better sense of the story he is telling.
4)We think there should be more information to people to help them find places that can help them.

Summary chapters 13 & 14 (Logan)

Adam moves into a new apartement with a guy named BG. The aparement is not well kept and in rough shape. BG and Adam take a couple of days to make the apartement more livable and Adam realizes that BG is going to be tough to live with, because it is his way and nothing else. Derrick also offers BG to join their crew, which Adam was not too fond of after a while because of the lack of effort that BG put into his job.Adam and BG eventually start to argue over the electric bill, as they racked up a hefty amount one month. Adam also does a move that takes eighteen and a half hours, which he describes in quite detail.

I thought that Adam uses great imagery in this section of the chapters, because of how he explained all of the rooms in the house and also how he explained how the lady's two car garage was filled with random assortements. Another example is how he explained his dancing skills during chpater 13.

Summary (Stephen Fisher) 11-12

Chapter eleven begins with Adam going downtown for work. This is the first time Adam has tried to accomplish his moving job in a crowded urban area. Unfortunately while on the job, Adam hurts his toe and breaks it. This injury becomes so unbearable that he has to quit doing his labor moving job and work at Fast Company doing non-labor intensive tasks. Adam also finally gets his own room; he rents out a small place to live from a guy who is a friend of one of his employers. His work also pays off in the end and he is able to purchase a truck.
Chapter twelve begins with Adam discussing some of the problems that come with working at Fast Company. He describes his charismatic and somewhat frantic boss who has a short temper along with his moving partner who doesn’t work well with others. Finally Adam confronts one of his managers and gets a new partner who he works well with. Adam continues to follow his goals and at the end of the chapter plans his move to a larger apartment.

Throughout these two chapters, the author uses simple diction in his description of events. He also sidetracks from the story as he asks questions to himself. These “what if” questions seem to be implanted to help the reader develop questions about his life experience. Questions such as: “What if this had happened to one of my buddies who had been washing dishes and had no money saved up at all?”. These questions are also spaced apart from the text to help them stand out more.

Vocabulary Chapters 11 and 12 (Charlie Warnes)

1. Applicable (pg. 147) = Can be applied; relevant or appropriate.
2. Disposition (pg. 150) = Temperament or frame of mind; manner of placing or arranging.
3. Nonchalant (pg.150) = Seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent.
4. Hindsight (pg.151) = The ability to understand, after something has happened, what should have been done or what caused the event.
5. Utterly (pg.152) = Completely; absolutely; entirely.
6. Exploiting (pg. 152) = To use or manipulate something to one’s advantage.
7. Blue-collar (pg.153) = Relating to wage earners, especially as a class, whose jobs are performed in work clothes and often involve manual labor.
8. Animosity (pg.162) = A powerful and active dislike or hostility; enmity.
9. Flak (pg. 163) = A great deal of adverse criticism.
10. Condescension (pg.165) = The act or instance of behaving in a patronizing way.

Visual Chapters 11 & 12 (Logan)

Throughout chapters 11 and 12, Adam showed significant signs that he was a gentleman. Adam looked out for others, and also showed his appreciation for others in both chapters. Adam tried to stay positive in most of the situations that he was put in, and this helps him during the two chapters. If Adam would have taken the pessimistic way, maybe he would be without a job, but he stayed positive and is doing well during chapters 11 and 12.

Discussion Questions Chapters 11 & 12 (Cody Sanoy)

1. One of the main goals of Adams experiment is to make $2500. If he doesn't accomplish this then he fails. Do you think it is smart for Adam to move out of the shelter? or do you think he should live there for as long as possible so he can save up more money?

It seems as if it is Adam's best interest to save as much money as possible. He even said he had the best time of his life in the shelter, and it's free. This makes it confusing to understand why he is leaving. If he stayed there just another month he could save up an extra $400 dollars or so which would go a long way.

2. Derrick is considered to be the best move at fast company and Adam looks up to him like a celebrity. Do you think Derrick is a role model for all of the movers or is Adam crazy for how amazing he thinks Derrick is?

Derrick is definitely a good mover but it seems weird to think so highly of him just because he can move well. It doesn't seem like that is really an important trait to have. It makes Adam look weird for talking so much about Derrick.

3. Do you think it was weird for Adam to write a letter to the bus driver? How do you think the bus driver reacted to the letter?

It's interesting that Adam wrote the letter. At first it seems like a weird thing to do because the bus driver never really did anything extraordinary, but it shows how a small gesture can make a big difference. It must be really hard for Adam at times to be doing this project. He missing his friends and family so seeing one friendly face every day can make a difference.

4. Similar to the question about moving out of the apartment, is it smart for Adam to buy a car when he car just ride the bus? we know that he getting a car is one of his goals but should he have waited until he had more money to spend so he could get a car that had less of a chance to break down?

Adam doesn't seem to be making all of the smartest financial decisions. Everything he spends money on sets him back and although he needs a car the sooner he buys it the less he can spend on it. Also, the longer he has the car the more time it has to break down, this seems even more likely because of how much he spent on it and how old it is.

3rd Journal

In Chapter 9 through 10 Adam begins working at Fast Company. This is a very positive opportunity for Adam. It is a good opportunity because he now has a steady income and he is making good progress on completing his ultimate goal. He also decides that he wants to move out of the shelter, but an unfortunate accident happened. When Adam finished up a day’s work, he placed the money and a receipt in a clip board from the house that he just got done moving. The minute that Adam showed up at the shelter, he had a note waiting for him saying to call Curtis at Fast Company. Adam called as prompted and found out that the money was missing, and he had to pay $143.50 out of his pocket. This delayed Adam from moving out from the shelter, so he had to move out the next week.
Adam finds that his job at Fast Company will be tough to start out, because he has no respect and Adam gets paired up with a guy named Shaun. Shaun is conceited, cocky, selfish, and arrogant, but Adam makes due with what he has and they get along for the first couple of weeks that he works. Eventually Shaun’s selfish ways weigh down Adam to the point of a meltdown. Adam pulls the truck over and lays down some ground rules… this tactic fixes the kinks in their relationship for about two more weeks but eventually Shaun goes back to normal. It seems to us that unfortunately for Adam nothing can go completely the way he would like it to. Every time he seems to get a break through and things look good, something ends up going array. From paring up with Shaun to breaking his toe to losing money, Adam has had to deal with many obstacles but persistence pays off.
Finally in chapter 10, Adam learns the importance of respect. While working with Shaun, Adam learns that respecting differences between two people is a valuable trait that can work to the advantages of both parties. Shaun remains someone who likes to talk about himself a lot, yet isn’t very social when it comes to the customers. Adam while likes to keep most of his personal stories to himself, enjoys making small talk with the customers. These differences, seeming to be a drawback in the beginning, turn out to be an advantage when both Shaun and Adam learn to embrace them. This was surprising how they worked so well together while being very different personalities. Adam was able to use his skills to please the customers and receive larger tips, while Shaun was able to use his physical strength to get work done and still receive good tips. Therefore, by embracing and respecting differences, both people were able to accomplish more than they ever could alone.
Adam didn't have to leave Shaun because Shaun in a sense, left him. Shaun was fired from work for his poor work ethic and this alone, was probably the best thing of the entire journey that happened to Adam. After Shaun left, Adam needed a new crew and one thing led to another and soon Adam found himself infront of the legend himself at Fast Company. Derrick wasn't anything special to the eye but certainly was. He was stronger and more experienced than most and because of this, overall, he was the best mover ever to come through Charleston. Derrick was a simple guy who was always looking on the bright side and because of this he brought out the good in Adam. Their styles coincided and because of this they soon became the top crew on the job and soon were making more money than Adam ever expected to. It goes to show that a positive attitude and good work ethic can improve the people around you. Adam worked hard for his acceptance and rank amongst his fellow workers and certainly deserved a break.

graphic Organizer 9-10 (Stephen Fisher)

In chapters 9-10 Adam learns the importance of multiple characteristics that lead to sucess in his new job.While working with Shaun Caldwell, Adam picks up his first few tips for working at fast company. Shaun teaches Adam the importance of being assertive, if Adam wishes to insure that he won’t get stepped on by the management. Adam also comes to the realization of working through ones differences, and learns the benefits of having people with differences. An example would be how Adam was able to be more social with the customers, while Shaun would work harder on the labor aspect of the job. Finally Adam learns the need for mutual respect on both sides. A great example of the importance of respect is when Adam tells Shaun that he wants him to not litter anymore and wear his seatbelt, but while doing so Adam would have to talk less and listen to Shaun more while working.

Discussion questions for 9 and 10 (Charlie Warnes)

1. Why exactly do you think Marco hasn't been showing his face at the shelter very often?

• I think the answer to that question is hidden in the answer to the question as to why he is so down on himself. Marco is someone very full of pride and when things didn't go his way he felt like he let Adam down and didn't want to deal with his new found friend's disappointment... this is just one possibility as to why he has been absent from the shelter so often.

2. Could you imagine being in a world where $143.50 is half of the entire sum of money to your name?Could you imagine making one stupid mistake and then losing that much money?

• It is crazy how far money can go;especially for a homeless person and unfortunately Adam being down that much money is a huge step back from all the progress he was making. Adam simply can't afford to make mindless mistakes such as he did anymore because if he did he could be in the shelter a heck of a lot longer than he anticipated. I hate losing fake money on online poker I can only imagine what Adam must have felt like.

3. Mustafa Frederick is a crazy person to say the least. What were some of the things he did that were just outright crazy and weird(A little stereotypical even)?

• He soaked his bible in the sink every morning and ripped one of the pages out and drank the water soaked up in the page which he considered to be holy water. Also every person always loved to speak with him because the experience was always a memorable one; everything he did or said was so off the wall that they just kept and keep on talking to him. He is just one of those people that will never really be understood.

4. People like Shaun Caldwell anger me... the cockiness and bossiness of a person like that is horribly rude. What did he do or say to Adam that irked you? Would you let him do and say what he did to Adam to you?

• Some people just don't understand what manners and the word polite are. Shaun continuously made Adam his slave and didn't listen when Adam told him to stop littering and to buckle up(he did for a while but not for long). I wish Adam would have stuck it to Shaun but unfortunately he couldn't because that could have lost him his job. All of the bumps in the road lately are starting to wear and tear on Adam and I sure hope he can pull through this rough patch.

Summary 9 & 10 (Cody Sanoy)

Adam had his first day working for fast company. It was supposed to be a tough move so the other employees joked that it was Adam's first and last day. Adam talked about how COPS the most popular show to watch at the shelter. Every night the shelter mates would get together and cheer for the bad guy who was trying to get away. By the fourth day Adam got assigned a permanent crew. his partner was Shawn Caldwell and Adam grew to dislike him. he was disrespectful and he drank on the way to the job and threw his been cans out the window. At the end of chapter 10 Adam had a mishap, the money from one of his moves was lost and he had to pay the company $143.50, which was quite a chunk of his savings.
These chapters are written in pretty much the same tone as the rest of the book. Adam is still optimistic about his journey but he still has things to complain about. It seems as if Adam writes about everything about his day. He doesn't leave anything out, especially how he feels about things. When he writes he shares all of his emotions with the reader. Overall Adam writes as if he is telling a story, which is what he is doing. There isn't a whole lot of politics involved, he just tells the reader what happened and how it made him feel.

vocabulary (LOGAN)

Pompously (108)- in a showy way

 

Incarcerated (116)- to imprison or confine

 

Passersby (117)- a person passing by

 

Finite (119)- limited or countable

 

Condescending (123)- acting in a superior way

 

Quips (124)- a clever or witty remark or comment

 

Demeanor (125)- conduct or behavior

 

Fraternize (127)- to spend time with people

 

Tangible (129)- able to be touched, actual, able to be realized

 

Disheartening (129)- causing hopelessness

 

Initiative (130)- leading action, or a personal decision

Journal 2 Scratch Beginnings

Journal Entry 2

The beginning of chapter seven starts with Adam and his experience at the Career Services Department at crisis ministries. It was surprising to the extent that the charity center went to learn about his past and things that can be done to help him. One assumption that we had coming into this book was that the homeless and poor alike had very little help in getting guidance to help put their life back on track with a job, healthcare, and other necessities. One question we have though is whether this is typical with all types of crisis centers run by non-profit organizations or is type of care and guidance specific to Crisis Ministries. That then leaves the question that if others aren’t giving these types of services, maybe there needs to be more information on how to help people and Crisis Ministries should outsource its basic system.
One significant part of the book is happens in seven when Phil Coleman gives his job hunting advice to Adam. He tells Adam that he needs to be more assertive when it comes to looking for jobs and talking to managers about positions. Phil is able to cut through some of the old notions of job hunting in which you put yourself out there and wait for a call back. Phil tells Adam that people are not going to go around looking to higher homeless people and therefore if Adam wants a job than he must give a large impression on the person who is going to higher him. This advice leads Adam to one of the most important moments in his journey to find the American dream, his first steady job.
The next momentous moment of the book is when Adam finally joins the work force at Fast Company. We felt this moment was important because it is the first step Adam had to take to becoming self sufficient and reaching his goals by the end of the year. This job finally gives him the opportunities that didn’t exist before to where he can finally save money and look forward to moving out of Crisis Ministries.
Optimism was an important point in the beginning of the book. Marco, one of Adams good friends from Crisis Ministries in the first few chapters was a leader of optimism about the future. Marco had planned his future out to go to school, get an apartment, and start his own business. Yet unfortunately in chapter seven, Marco tells Adam that because he failed to file a tax return that year, he wasn’t awarded financial aid for the first semester at the community college. For the first time Marco loses his confidence in the future and also loses his optimism because of this set back. Unfortunately we feel that this small set back may lead him to become either depressed or lose the drive he had before.
This lost in optimism also affects Adam in a direct way also. Adam from the beginning of his time at Crisis Ministries was looking for friends and people he could work with to help in get out of his homeless situation. Marco was one of those people who Adam was looking to relay on to make good decisions and possibly work to get an apartment together. This set back with Marco therefore may lead to a setback with Adam too. Now he may not have the same support he might have had if he had Marco to work with. This type of intertwined dependence on each other seems like it is extremely important to helping people make it through tough times, yet it also leads people to being vulnerable to others mistakes or failures.
Therefore our guess is that Adam will have to help Marco along the way more to help in get back on his feet. We still feel that Marco hasn’t lost all hope for his future and this setback will only be minor. We feel that Adam and Marco will continue to work together through this book and will eventually help each other out of the homeless shelter and onto a steady life path. Whether or not Marco will accomplish all his dreams in the time spend he wants is also unlikely therefore Adam will most likely have to give him dose of reality.

Summary with a twist 7 and 8 (Charlie Warnes)

In chapters seven and eight the main ideas all have something to do with getting a job and climbing the social structure ladder. Basically what happens is Adam starts to give up on his job search and is about to settle for the measly pay at the car wash when a few people talk him out of it. Phil and Leo both give Adam motivational speeches or rather stories that give him the desire to get back into the job search. Adam decides to give Fast Company, a moving company, one last attempt and to his surprise he gets the job. The two chapters end with the idea that Adam is finally starting to get out of the dirt hole.
These two chapters were very much written with a tone of optimism. The job search for more than one person finally yielded a positive outcome, although for some their aspirations had to be put on hold. With good there is always some bad and unfortunately for Marco in this section the bad is definitely weighed on his end. Simply put, these two chapters are a lead into what Adam’s life will be like for the next year or so; it is safe to say that Adam is going to do anything possible to achieve his goals.

Vocab ch 7&8 Stephen Fisher

1. Prospective 85 =expected or likely to happen or be something
2. Earnest 86 =intensely serious or grave in attitude
3. Atypical 87=not conforming to the usually type or expected pattern
4. Journeymen 91=somebody with ordinary competence, competent and reliable but not exceptional
5. Shied 91=reserved, and uncomfortable with others
6. Assertive 93=confident, forceful and strong
7. Demeanor 97=somebody’s outward behavior, manner, or appearance
8. Buoyed 100= too keep something from falling or sinking
9. Tedious 101=boring because of being monotonous and/or repetitive
10. Irreverent 103=being disrespectful or having a lack of respect
11. Laggards 103=someone or something that does not keep up with others, slow

Graphic Organizer Chapters 7 & 8

When in the homeless shelter Adam tried to get a job by submitting a bunch of job applications and waiting for replies. He was then made fun of by another fellow shelter man and was told that you can’t just wait for them to call, and if they call they aren’t going to want to hire somebody who’s homeless. He said you have to go out there and tell him that they need you. So instead of waiting for the jobs to come to him Adam went out and told a manager that he was going to be the hardest worker that the manager had. The manager was so impressed by Adam’s attitude that he got the job. So the key to meeting Adam’s goal, which is getting money and his own place to live, is getting a job. And the key to getting a job is to be assertive and learning not to take no for an answer.

Discussion Questions (Logan)

Do you think that it is a bit ironic that the best information that Adam has received while Adam was from a homeless man who gets a new job every week? If so, why do you think Adam listened to him?

-It is ironic, and does pay off for Adam. He listened to the homeless guy, because after he thought about what the man was saying, it just hit him that he needed to be persistent.

 

Where do you think Adam conjured up the confidence to give a long speech to Curtis McNeil?

-Adam did not plan his 'speech' or anything of that matter, it was all spontaneous. I think that he was sick of getting turned down and just unleashed his frustration onto Curtis. This surprisngly worked, and thus led to Adam getting hired.

 

What do you think convinced Curtis of hiring Adam at Fast Mover?

-Adam says "I'm pretty much the hardest working guys you're going to find in Charleston." He also says that he has the best work ethic out of all of Curtis' guys. Then to sum up his speech he says that he will work one day for free, so that Curtis could have the opportunity to see how he works. Adam showed that he was very dedicated to getting the job and sustaining the job, so he was in fact hired.

 

On page 102, Leo said that there are three types of people, do you agree with his classification of people? If not why, if so why? 

- This classification is somewhat accurate, but to every opinion there are always exceptions. I disagree with his classification because some that go to school, end up still in poverty. Also in his third statement, he says lazy people that do no do anything with their lives, he doesn't take in to account that some people are born in to poverty and do not have chances to work their way out. 

Vocabulary (Cody Sanoy) 5 & 6

Demeaningly page 60 - To debase, as in dignity or social standing

Forecasted pg 60 - To estimate or calculate in advance

Finesse pg 61 - Refinement and delicacy of performance, execution, or artisanship. Skillful, subtle handling of a situation; tactful, diplomatic.

Philosophical pg 62 - Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline

Discharging pg 62 - To relieve of a burden or of contents

Frigid 63 – extremely cold

Congregation 64 - A body of assembled people or things

Indigent 66 - Experiencing want or need; impoverished

Centrifuge 69 - An apparatus consisting essentially of a compartment spun about a central axis to separate contained materials of different specific.

Epiphany 78 - any moment of great or sudden revelation

Psychosis 82 - A severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage, characterized by derangement of personality and loss of contact with reality and causing deterioration of normal social functioning

Adversity 84 - A state of hardship or affliction; misfortune.

Discussion Questions 5&6 Stephen Fisher

1. In chapter 5 when the homeless are at the churches get-together for the baptism, there are many volunteers who are giving their time to help the people out through their own charity. Why do the homeless who have all these free accommodations such as healthcare, food, and job finding assistance go back onto the streets? What keeps them there?
2. On page 79, Adams writes about how important humor was in helping the members of the shelter maintain hope and keep going. Why do you think humor is so important to the human spirit when it comes to making it through huge obstacles?
3. Adam writes in chapter 6 about the evils of drug abuse and its effects on some of the people who live in the shelter. Adam then writes:

“…on a smaller scale, don’t a lot of us have similar problems? The guy smoking a cigarette while chewing a stick of Nicorette gum; the adulteress going out with other men, justifying that it might help her become a better mate to her husband; or the obese man ordering a diet soda to go along with his bacon double cheeseburger combo meal. What are we justifying, really? Do we even want help?”
What could this quote mean?
4. Is the facts that people who are in Adam’s situation look for things to help them feel better: cigarettes, alcohol, drugs; the reason why it takes them longer to get out of poverty and back on their feet. Do people in a lower standard of living more susceptible of to evil of addiction?

Answer:
1) We think that many people don't work to improve their standing, because the street is the only place where they feel comfortable. If people live in certain conditions for a while they begin to have less drive to get out.
2) Humor is important to people in difficult life circumstances because it helps people keep hope and feel better. It also helps build bonds between people which is important to make it through difficult times.
3) We think that most people want to change certain habits but in reality are not fully committed towards that goal. Most people may say they want to change because of social pressure, but in private their feelings may be different.
4) Many people turn to false happiness (drugs) which they think helps them. When in reality they are slowly becoming addicted and hurting themselves more. Poor people are usually the least educated and are more susceptible to these advertisements.

Graphic Organizer chapters 5 and 6 (Charlie Warnes)

In chapters five and six Adam’s job search continues and along the way he meets a lot of genuinely cool people. Adam realizes that when homeless money isn’t what makes you friends or makes you happy, but is simply something that can get you out. Money is something necessary to survive but isn’t something that decides whether or not you are happy. The ideas money and happiness bring to the table clash and it took becoming homeless for Adam to realize this. Simply put, in chapters five and six Adam realized that money isn’t everything and that friends like Marco are going to be essential in getting out of the that wretched shelter.

Summary of chapters 5 & 6 (Logan)

In chapters 5 and 6 Adam work very hard and keeps on searching for a job in which he gets very frustrated. Chapter 5 starts out with Adam going to work with George on Sundays. He had to clean up dog poop and weed the garden as George asked him to do. When he arrived back at the shelter, he hears from a friend that there are free hamburgers around the corner at a church. They decided to go, and along with the hamburgers they had to attend baptisms. Towards the end of chapter 5, Adam decides that he is going to donate plasma twice a week for extra money.

Chapter 6 then starts off, and he decides that he needs some more clothes, so he goes to goodwill to buy some cheap clothes. He then goes on to applying for jobs, and he goes into detail about a moving job that he wants. He walked downtown to find this place, and he ended up filling out an application. This made him angry because the lady said that the manager would give him a call in the near future, which he knew would not happen. Adam then gets the idea that he wants to meet more people, so he decides to start buying cigarettes and going out to trade the cigs with felloe shelter mates. Adam then sees a man-purchasing crack and he gets very upset about this, and the chapter ends with Adam not finding a job.                     

The tone of these two chapters in my opinion is frustration. Adam did not enjoy working for George because of the heat and the harsh work that he had to do.  Then in chapter 6, he was upset about not finding a job and also the man never calling him back about his application. To end it, he was very disturbed by the crack deal, and he spent a lot of time talking about how he did not like this. 

Journal Entry 1
Week 1

While reading the book our group noticed things that surprised us. For one, we were surprised that Adam was able to find a job easily any day of the week. This goes against many of the stereotypes that are given by the media that people who are in a shelter or homeless cannot get work. Although we were also shocked that a full days work can sometimes only be worth fourteen dollars. Therefore we all understand how easy it probably is to get discouraged.
Another surprising event in the book is when Adam describes how happy he when he is just hanging out with the other guys in the homeless shelter. He says how he will remember sitting around, watching bootleg movies, and eating junk food even when he is old. We all decided that this is important to understand in all of our lives and that to be happy isn’t to have money, but to have support and good friends.
In the first four chapters of the book, the author explores the world of homelessness and looks into its causes. The author discusses many reasons why people may be homeless whether it may be because of circumstance or because of poor life decisions. This somewhat stares in the face of the author because Adam comes into the adventure believing that many of the people were simply freeloaders, yet most the people he meets are poor because of circumstances out of their control. This type of stereotyping of poor people as freeloaders that even the author is a victim of is due to the fact that the extremists in any group of people are usually the people who receive the most attention from people in the media. Therefore this is important in understanding life in general that people should question the status quo of what people believe.
Many people are homeless due to their past. The past is something that can greatly affect the future and because of this shouldn’t it be talked about more? We were interested in the fact Adam’s story wasn’t spoken of much in the book. Why didn’t many people ask him of his past? Adam learned of many people’s past, but never really shared his with others. In the book Adam said that the homeless people in the shelter connected through their stories of how they got where they are today but yet Adam never connected fully with his peers in this sense. Adam says that he gains many friends after the first week but somehow he surpasses the act of sharing his past?
Our group noticed that the ideas put forth in the first few chapters intersected with some of those in the book The Late Home comer. Adam and the people in the shelter are among a minority just as the Hmong were in The Late Home comer. The Hmong were in an ethnic minority but an argument could be posed that homelessness is an ethnicity in itself. Crazy as it sounds; homelessness is a culture in its own. Life for people living from dollar to dollar and sleeping on a bench one night or a curb the next is completely different than that of the “average American”. The Hmong lifestyle isn’t too far from that of a homeless person in the fact that, they started from scratch and began their journey once anew. The American dream was and still is something that both of these “ethnicities” or rather cultures strive for. Simply put, life outside of the norms of American society can be gruesome and difficult no matter who the people may be, homeless or Hmong.

Discussion questions chapters 3 & 4 (Cody Sanoy)

1. In the book it says that a team of doctors, a nurse, and two psychiatrists would come in to help people living in the homeless shelter. Where does the money come from for this and do think it is right for them to get free health services?

If this medical help is coming from the taxpayer’s money than I don’t think this is fair. The public shouldn’t have to pay for the homeless people’s healthcare. If it is volunteer work or if the hospital pays for it than this is perfectly fine and very nice of the hospital to do. Also, this could add to the fact that some of the people living in the shelter might not try to get out of it because the benefits within the shelter are so good. They might not get free healthcare like this once they move out.

2. Adam talks about how when he is 80 years old and in a nursing home; the days he is going to
Remember are the ones from the shelter. Do you find it interesting that he is actually having a
Good time being homeless? Doesn’t it make sense for him to be miserable and hate being homeless?

To me it doesn’t seem like it makes sense. I guess it’s good for Adam that he’s having a good time and is going to have a memorable experience but at the same time this isn’t fair. The best time of your life shouldn’t be when you’re homeless and mooching on other people because this only encourages the behavior that makes people homeless. If they love their life being homeless they’re never going to move out and they’re going to keep enjoying getting free services, free food, free room and board, and not having to work.

3. Do you think it was smart of him to confront the owner of the baby store? Was this necessary?

I think Adam overreacted when he confronted the owner of the baby story. Sure they didn’t treat them like people they trusted but, who would? If I hired a bunch of homeless guys to help me do work I wouldn’t trust them with anything either. It isn’t the best situation that they showed up late and wasted a lot of the worker’s time but Adam should’ve expected this and should’ve been prepared for a negative experience.

4. Adam was warned to avoid the work agencies when he first got into town. Do you think it was smart of him to work for them anyway? And shouldn’t he have expected to get screwed over? Why do you think he was so surprised?

I think that it was a good idea for Adam to work for the labor agency. Even though he was told it was a bad idea it’s better than not making any money at all. It allowed him to buy some necessary items like soap and extra clothes. However, he should’ve been happy with what he got and should’ve been prepared for only a little bit of pay.

Vocabulary (Charlie Warnes)

Vocabulary
1. Pro Bono= (Page 32) It is a term used with legal services, to donate without charge; free.
2. Biweekly= (Page 33) Occurring every two weeks.
3. Tuberculosis (TB)= (Page 34) An infectious disease that may affect almost any tissue of the body, esp. the lungs, caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and characterized by tubercles.
4. Pungent= (Page 41) sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating power; biting; acrid.
5. Bootlegged= (Page 42) something, as a recording, made, reproduced, or sold illegally or without authorization: a flurry of bootlegs to cash in on the rock star's death.
6. Monotony= (Page 48) wearisome uniformity or lack of variety, as in occupation or scenery.
7. Waned= (Page 50) to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.
8. Gall= (51) bitterness of spirit; deep resentment.
9. Freeloading= (Page 55) to take advantage of others for free food, entertainment, etc.
10. Feasible= (Page 56) Capable of being accomplished or brought about; possible.

Visual Organizer (Logan Dahlke)

In chapter’s three to four, the author touched on many parts of his everyday life. What I got out of it was that there were many hardships of being homeless. The author in these two chapters rarely has money, and when he tried to find a stable job, he didn’t have any luck in doing so. Then, he was working for EasyLabor, and was working hard on a Saturday, but ended up only making $14. Also on this trip the lady that he was working with did not treat him very well. On night he finally had a spare moment, and took a shower, the showers are very grimy, and at times are very crowded, but he took a shower late at night, so it was not busy.

Summary (Stephen Fisher) 3&4

Chapter three starts with Adam’s second day at the shelter. He begins the day at an orientation provided by the shelter where he learns about services available to him and health hazards. Following orientation he goes on a job hunt through the city, in the end finding out that the best place to look for jobs in on the internet. The next day he finds a job working construction where he meets a polite boss who offers him a job for that following Sunday.
Chapter four starts with Adam mentioning small jobs he got through easy labor. One job in particular where he and others were treated with disrespect and worked to the bone for low wages. After Adam in disenchanted by his last job, he picks himself up and prepares himself for the long road ahead to accomplish his goals.
The tone of chapters three and four are all light hearted with slight bits of humor and self deprecation. Throughout Adam makes fun of either mistakes he’s made or characteristics about himself. Such as on page forty-one Adam shows humility in the fact that he can’t go without conditioner for his hair while all the other guys only use shampoo. He also goes on with his humorous tone when he describes how he must eat like superman because of the way he works. Therefore Adam shows both the ability to laugh at himself and be extremely self-aware at the same time.

Discussion Questions (Charlie)

1. Adam made up a story about how he became homeless and came to the shelter... obviously it was fabricated; how many stories do you think he was told were also fabricated? How many people do you think are homeless for a legitimate reason or for reason such as being lazy etc...?

The answer to the first question lies within an opinion. My opinion is that I am sure at least half of the stories he was told weren't true because why would people just completely open up to a stranger? I know I sure wouldn't.

2. Adam obviously spent a lot of time thinking of how to make this "research project" as realistic and legitimate as possible, is there anything that he didn't do that you can see so far? Or is there anything that you think was smart of him to do? Continue along those lines...

I wonder exactly how he remembered all the exact quotes and all the stories to the exact point because it isn't like he could interview and write everything down on the spot. With that said I wonder exactly how much of the stories he wrote about were changed to simply make the book better.

3. "Sarge" told Adam no to make friends because you never really know who someone is, so you don't know who you can trust; Adam disagreed with Sarge, what do you guys think? Are friends a necessity to make it out of poverty or are they something that could possibly put you further into poverty?

I believe that friends are going to be a necessity in Adams journey for the American dream and they are going to be a huge part in his success. Friends and connections will be the very things that keep Adam motivated to continue on his treacherous and tough journey.

4. Would you say that Adam has an advantage over some of the other homeless people because of his age, as in terms of work and employers and health etc...? What advantages and disadvantages is Adam dealing with in his attempt to find the American dream?

I think that Adam does have an advantage because of his age and physical health. He is a young man freshly out of college and doesn't have the wear and tear of life affecting him yet. Although there are some advantages to being young on his journey there are also some disadvantages. One huge disadvantage would be that he doesn't have veyr much experience and experience coudl be the very thing that would ensure his success.

Vocabulary Mon 11/9 (Logan)

vagrants- pg 3- A person who wanders about idly and has no permanent home.

superfluous- pg 3- unnecessary or needless

stupor- page 4- mental torpor, apathy

preferential- pg 12- favored, receiveing or enjoying preference

immaculate- pg14- free from fault or flaw

intuition- pg 19- a keen and quick insight

contingent- pg 20- uncertain, possible, liable to happen

schmooze-pg23- to chat, gossip, chatter

impending- pg 27- about to happen, imminent

fabricated- pg 27- fake, forged

Summary with a Twist (Cody)

In the first two chapters Adam travels to Charleston. He looks for a place to stay and ends up at a homeless shelter and a police officer lets him in after hours. In the morning he goes to work for a labor company. He works construction and makes around $28. Then he goes to the store and spends all of his money on underwear, shirts, soap, shampoo, a towel, a toothbrush, toothpaste and some food. He then returns to the homeless shelter where he meets a friend and, for the first time, gets to tell his fabricated story of how he ended up in this situation. Then he goes to bed and reflects on his time there.
This section of the book was written in a very matter of fact way. Adam uses facts and tells the story as it happens. He gives all of his information directly and doesn’t leave much for us to figure out on our own. He is very observant of other people. He seems as if he stereotypes everybody that he meets and writes about what he thinks of everybody in his book before he even meets them. He also writes it in a positive way. It seems as if he is 100 percent confident that he will succeed. He doesn’t say he has any doubts and he focuses more on what he is going to do to survive than what could happen to make him fail.

Graphics (Path to Success) (Stephen)

This information represents Adams lessons he has learned so far his first two nights at Crisis Ministries on how to become successful in his new environment. First he needs to stay at the shelter so he has a safe place to sleep during the night. Next in the mornings he needs to work with the people at the shelter to help in find a job for the day so he can make money. He also needs to work on building relationships with those around him so he can have people teach him about his new life. Adam also needs to spend money on necessities, such as clothes and soap and not on unneeded amenities such as extra food. He learns that taking advantage of the meals at the shelter will provide him with enough to live off of so he doesn’t starve. Finally the biggest lesson of all is to stay positive and optimistic about the future. Without optimism its hard to get ones self to focus on their goals and not give up.

By Stephen Fisher

Introduction to the book

We expect Adam to have problems reaching the American Dream. He made it seem like this whole escapade of rags to riches was going to be easy and that anyone could do it. He might not even make his goal it all just depends on the luck of the draw basically. A large part of Adam’s success depends on who he meets and who becomes his friend. Basically we all think that Adam will certainly have an eye opening experience and hope for his success but are not entirely sure that it will come.
We feel that Adam has many things going for him being that he is young and has a college education under his belt. Even though Adam doesn’t get to use his college education on his resume for getting a job the knowledge and experience is still going to help him. Adam is healthy and is in good shape because he was a college basketball star. He even seems to be someone who is optimistic and stubborn. Adam seems to be the kind of guy that when he says he is going to do something… he will get it done. On the contrary to the positives going for Adam we feel like there are a few negatives also. Although Adam is young and youthful and ready to take a stab at taking on the world he is inexperienced ignorant on how exactly to go about reaching his goal. He hasn’t been through the whole making a life for himself before and his first try is going to be from a homeless shelter. With the positives and the negatives weighing on him, we think Adam is definitely going to be in contention to reach his goal but who knows?
With each of our groups being Caucasian and able to afford to attend college how we view what happens in the book will differ from that of someone who is in some sort of situation close to Adam’s. We may be a little more critical about the book being privileged enough to never have to live on the streets or beg for food. Each of us are interested in the idea of this book because soon we will be making a life for ourselves and to know that it is possible, even in the toughest of situations, is something that will boost our confidence. Our previous experience and knowledge of the subcategory is very minimal and this is probably what sparked an interest in reading the book. Although we are uneducated and inexperienced about the homeless way of life we feel like we may be somewhat bias towards them being lazy and hope that reading this book will change our biases. We are all excited to read the book and hope that is a good read.